Measure to expand protected wildlands moves forward in General Assembly

February 15, 2014|By Tim Wheeler, The Baltimore Sun

The Maryland Senate unanimously approved Friday a major expansion of the state's network of legally protected wildlands.

The O'Malley administration bill would create nine new wildlands and expand 14 existing sites already set aside because they harbor rare plants and animals or other natural features. Development, motor vehicles and even bicycles are barred in wildlands, but hiking, hunting, fishing and horseback riding are allowed.